Australia Tourist Trails-The Kidman Way

Posted by Outback Tours on 16 March 2010 filed in Australia Tourist Trails

: Image via Wikipedia

Back track to the Australian Outback along Australia’s legendary tourist trail – The Kidman Way. We traverse the NSW portion of the Matilda Highway from the Barringun, just below the Queensland border, to Jerilderie near the Victorian border.

The Kidman Way takes its name from Sir Sidney Kidman, who became known as the “Cattle King.” Born in South Australia, Sidney Kidman left home aged 13 to work as a sheep drover. He formed a small business with his brother in droving and trading cattle and horses and went on to become the greatest pastoral landholder in modern history.

The road is safe and sealed all the way and the historic towns which dot its length are filled with lots of stories –old and new.

There is a whole variety of tourist accommodation to enjoy- hotels, motels, B&Bs, farm stays, camping and good caravan parks. The greatest distance between the 12 major towns along the road is 160 kms, with most distances about 30-50 km- so you are never far from food, fuel, medical and banking facilities.

We started at Jerilderie, west of Wagga Wagga. In terms of history, its main claim to fame is a visit in 1879 from Australia’s most infamous outlaw, Ned Kelly. Old Ned had a ripe old time apparently – robbing a bank and axing the town’s telegraph poles, among other deeds. There’s a tourist office in Powell Street where you can see Kelly armor and learn more about the town’s history.

Jerilderie has Victorian-era history, a spectacular man-made lake, parks, miniature steam train track, clubs and a sporting complex catering for a wide arrange of activities.

Not a bad place to start our Australian tourist trail along the Kidman Way.